Which costs less to open, Little Caesars or Potbelly Sandwich Shop?

Little Caesars: $376,500 – $1,769,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 29); Potbelly Sandwich Shop: $654,019 – $1,274,099 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 26). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Little Caesars. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.

How do Little Caesars and Potbelly Sandwich Shop royalties compare?

Little Caesars: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18); Potbelly Sandwich Shop: 6% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.

Which has more locations, Little Caesars or Potbelly Sandwich Shop?

Little Caesars: 4,374 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74); Potbelly Sandwich Shop: 441 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 71). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.

Do Little Caesars and Potbelly Sandwich Shop disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

Little Caesars makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Potbelly Sandwich Shop has no reviewed Item 19 figures on file. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Franchise opportunities compared

Little Caesars vs Potbelly Sandwich Shop

Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

Little Caesars2026 FDD PSPotbelly Sandwich Shop2025 FDD

Initial investment · Item 7

Little Caesars

$376,500 – $1,769,200

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 29

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

$654,019 – $1,274,099

2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 26

Initial franchise fee · Item 5

Little Caesars

$20,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

$40,000

2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

Royalty · Item 6

Little Caesars

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

Before you compare

Little Caesars figures come from its 2026 FDD and Potbelly Sandwich Shop figures from its 2025 FDD, so the years differ.
Only neither brand has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

Financial commitment

Disclosure

Little Caesars

PSPotbelly Sandwich Shop

Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

Little Caesars

$376,500 – $1,769,200

Restaurant — Total initial investment: $376,500 to $1,769,200

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 29

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

$654,019 – $1,274,099

Estimated initial investment

2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 26

Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

Little Caesars

$20,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

$40,000

2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

Royalty (Item 6)

Little Caesars

Weekly royalty greater of 6% of Gross Sales or $300

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

Royalty

2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

Little Caesars

Advertising fee up to 7% of Gross Sales — 7%

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

Brand fund maximum contribution — 4%

2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

System scale & health

Disclosure

Little Caesars

PSPotbelly Sandwich Shop

Total outlets (Item 20)

Little Caesars

4,374

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

441

Outlets at end of 2024

2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 71

Net outlet change (Item 20)

Little Caesars

+3,799

Calculated: 575 at end of 2023 → 4,374 at end of 2025

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

+12

Calculated: 429 at end of 2022 → 441 at end of 2024

Outlet exits (Item 20)

Little Caesars

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Franchising since (Item 1)

Little Caesars

1962

From a verified franchisor listing

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Franchisor founded (Item 1)

Little Caesars

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

Little Caesars

Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

PSPotbelly Sandwich Shop

No reviewed Item 19 figures

Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

Little Caesars vs Potbelly Sandwich Shop: common questions

Which costs less to open, Little Caesars or Potbelly Sandwich Shop?: Little Caesars: $376,500 – $1,769,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 29); Potbelly Sandwich Shop: $654,019 – $1,274,099 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 26). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Little Caesars. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
How do Little Caesars and Potbelly Sandwich Shop royalties compare?: Little Caesars: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18); Potbelly Sandwich Shop: 6% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
Which has more locations, Little Caesars or Potbelly Sandwich Shop?: Little Caesars: 4,374 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74); Potbelly Sandwich Shop: 441 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 71). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
Do Little Caesars and Potbelly Sandwich Shop disclose financial performance (Item 19)?: Little Caesars makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Potbelly Sandwich Shop has no reviewed Item 19 figures on file. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

How Franopolis reviews FDD figures